Staying active name of the game for prospect Danny O'Connor

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (August 16, 2012) - No sooner had the dust cleared from last Sunday night's fight, light welterweight prospect Danny O'Connor (18-1, 6 KOs) was back in the gym preparing for his next action, September 29, on the non-televised segment of a HBO BAD tripleheader at MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The 27-year-old O'Connor, a former two-time national amateur champion and 2008 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team alternate, stopped Eddie "The Puerto Rican Sensation" Soto (12-5, 4 KOs) this past Sunday evening in the fourth round of their fight, headlining the first professional boxing show in Gillette Stadium history. Boxing was preceded by a Major League Soccer match between the New England Revolution and Montreal Impact. "I walked Soto down, everything behind my jab, and listened to what Coach Ronnie (Shields) told me," O'Connor said about his fight against Soto. "The name of the game for me is keeping active. I'm young, hungry and always in shape. Inactivity hurts fighters. I appreciate what's going on right now. I'm looking forward to my next fight and to keep improving." O'Connor dropped Soto in the first round and again in the second. He was unloading on the Rhode Island fighter when the fight was mercifully halted by the referee. O'Connor was fighting in front of family, friends and fans from his home in nearby Framingham (MA). New England sports-and-entertainment "royalty" walked him into the ring: "Irish" Micky Ward, New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman, Boston Bruins winger Shawn Thornton, former Bruins player Lyndon Byers and Danny's manager, Kenny Casey, lead singer and founder of the Dropkick Murphysband. "Seeing and hearing all the people there supporting me, walked into the ring by those great athletes, it was exciting," O'Connor explained how he felt when he entered the ring. "I went into the ring with a game plan and had to contain my excitement so I could take care of business. Once the bell rang, I was fully focused." O'Connor believes the unique cross-promotion, fusing soccer and boxing, was successful in terms of attracting new fans for both sports. "A lot of my fans told me they got there early to watch the soccer game and really enjoyed it," O'Connor noted. "I saw the reaction of soccer fans that stayed to watch their first fight. I think it was win-win for both sports. It was a great atmosphere, something very special for me."   O'Connor's chief second, former "Trainer of the Year" and two-time world title challenger Ronnie Shields, gave his protégé a perfect 10 score. "Danny did a really great job against a strong kid," Shields commented on O'Connor's most recent fight. "I gave him 10 on a scale of 10. He got close to his opponent and then caught him. He let both hands go with an all-out assault that ended the fight. He was great from bell one, doing everything we worked on in the gym. This is a different Danny O'Connor. Most are familiar with Danny backing up, but he's been moving forward. That's the biggest difference in Danny the past year, plus he's sitting down more on his punches. You can't make a guy punch harder, but Danny had some power but didn't know it. He's never going to be a one-punch knockout guy, but it's the accumulation of his punches that do the damage. His connect rate is in the high eighties, low nineties, and when he throws combinations, a lot happens. "Danny was always in a retreat mode, but we have him attacking. When he faces big, strong guys standing in front of him, he can go back to boxing. He will fight different ways depending on the style of his opponent. You're seeing more body punches, uppercuts and a lot more left hands from Danny. I want him to become a more complete fighter, not fighting one style, and that's what is happening with him." For more information about Danny O'Connor and Team O'Connor, visit www.dannyoconnorboxing.com, follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DOC_Boxing, or visit him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DannyOConnor.

Back to the Future for Prospect Danny O'Connor

Headlining first Pro Boxing card Sunday at Gillette Stadium Danny O'Connor & N.E. Revolution head coach Jay Heaps FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (August 9, 2012) - Popular light welterweight prospect Danny O'Connor (17-1, 5 KOs) goes back to the future Sunday night, headlining the first professional boxing show at famed Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The 27-year-old O'Connor, a former two-time national amateur champion, as well as an alternate for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team, faces Eddie "The Puerto Rican Sensation" Soto (12-4, 4 KOs) in the eight-round main event. Gillette Stadium is home to the three-time Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots and Major League Soccer (MLS) power New England Revolution, which is presenting this special boxing event, in association with DiBella Entertainment. An MLS game between the New England Revolution and Montreal Impact, starting at 7:00 p.m. ET, will be followed by a three-fight pro boxing card, immediately after the conclusion of the soccer game at approximately 9 p.m. ET. The ring will be set-up in the South end zone. O'Connor, fighting out of Framingham (MA), has returned to his roots in order to help re-establish boxing interest in his home state en route to achieving his ultimate goal of capturing a world title. His journey has taken a circuitous route kept alive by O'Connor's burning desire to follow his lifelong dream. O'Connor started boxing at his hometown PAL gym, which he quickly outgrew because the volunteer system had no set schedule. Danny hit the road to train and find sparring, driving all over New England, including 401 Gym in Rhode Island, where, ironically, Soto fights out of. "I never trained with Soto but every New England fighter kind of knows each other," O'Connor noted. Everything went well working the aforementioned way for his first 14 fights, until his first major fight (ShoBox) on April 8, 2011, in which O'Connor lost an eight-round decision to the 14-0 Gabriel Bracero. O'Connor should have been pulled out of the fight due to health reasons and the personable Irish-American realized he had to make drastic life changes, most importantly, building a new team. A year ago, O'Connor bought a one-way ticket to Houston to train with former "Trainer of the Year" and world title challenger Ronnie Shields, considered one of the best teachers in boxing. O'Connor's co-promoter Leon Margules (Warriors Boxing and DiBella Entertainment co-promote O'Connor) made the initial introductions with his old friend Shields. "I knew the only way to be an elite boxer was to be trained by the elite," O'Connor explained. "It certainly wasn't the easiest decision to make. I was coming off my first loss and surgery. I left my wife, Diane, at home with our three-month old baby (Liam). I gave her all the money I had left. I went to Houston without a dollar, a place to stay, car, nothing but a bag of boxing gear and a dream. I knew that's where I needed to be. Everybody struggles in life. I never stopped believing in myself and neither did Diane. Everything has fallen into place for me since then." Falling into place includes O'Connor's good fortune to hook-up with Ken Casey, founder and lead singer of the Dropkick Murphys band. Casey's creative marketing ideas and invaluable contacts in entertainment and sports have opened many new doors for O'Connor, including his headlining Sunday's historical show at Gillette Stadium. O'Connor first landed in Houston with a reputation as being a good boxer with no punching power. "Danny was already a good fighter when he came here," Shields countered. "But he wasn't confident and lacked defense. We've worked on his defense and sitting down on the majority of his punches. He's become a more complete fighter." Two of O'Connor's three wins with Shields in his corner ended in stoppages. "Coach Ronnie had a lot of confidence in my skills," Danny continued. "He has taught me how to be a pro. I get to train and spar with elite athletes in his gym. Coach Ronnie is a Hall of Fame caliber trainer who's trained Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Pernell Whitaker and so many others. And through it all-the ins and outs of boxing-he understands how to teach and how it is for us because he was a world-class fighter, too." Fighting at home has a special meaning for a kid who couldn't stay at home. "Not a lot of people could be in my position," O'Connor added. "I'm honored. I'm enjoying every minute of it. I'm having fun for once and enjoying life. Someday I want to help PAL kids like me with the same dream." Tickets, reasonably priced at $100.00 (on field ringside), $60.00 (reserved) and $40.00 (end zone), include attendance for this unique doubleheader (NE Revolution vs. Montreal Impact soccer game and boxing), are on sale via Ticketmaster or by calling 1-877-GO-REVS. O'Connor's last fight, thanks to Casey, was at the House of Blues in Boston and Sunday he headlines at Gillette Stadium. Life doesn't get much better than that for a native New Englander and New England Revolutions fan like O'Connor. "There is no better feeling that fighting at home in front of family and friends," O'Connor concluded. "And for this fight I also have the support of The New Revolution and its great fans. My goal is to bring the passion of soccer fans to boxing. A year ago nobody knew who I was and on Sunday night I'm fighting at Gillette Stadium."      For more information about Danny O'Connor and Team O'Connor, visitwww.dannyoconnorboxing.com, follow him on Twitter atwww.twitter.com/DOC_Boxing, or visit him on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/DannyOConnor. -30- CONTACT: Bob Trieger, Full Court Press, 978.664.4482, bobtfcp@hotmail.com

Hot prospect Danny O'Connor Getting kick out of career changes

Aug. 12 headlining first Pro Boxing card  at Gillette Stadium Danny O'Connor (red shirt in center) with members of New England Revolution FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (July 30, 2012) - Hot light welterweight prospect Danny O'Connor (17-1, 5 KOs) will make history Sunday evening, August 12 when he headlines the first professional boxing event at famed Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Gillette Stadium is home to the three-time Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots and Major League Soccer (MLS) power New England Revolution, which is presenting this special boxing event, in association with DiBella Entertainment. The 27-year-old O'Connor, fighting out of nearby Framingham, is a former two-time national amateur champion, as well as an alternate for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team. The crafty southpaw is slated to take on 23-fight veteran James Ventry in the eight-round main event on Aug. 12. An MLS game between the New England Revolution and Montreal Impact, starting at 7:00 p.m. / ET, will be followed by a three-fight pro boxing card, headlined by O'Connor vs. Ventry, immediately after the conclusion of the soccer game at approximately 9 p.m. / ET. The ring will be set-up in the end zone behind the Revolution's goal. "I'm a big New England Revolution fan and since the first second I met everyone involved in The Revs organization," O'Connor said from his training camp in Houston, "staff & players have been amazing and treated me like family. I'm honored and proud to be fighting alongside these great players and their fans. I'm very happy to be part of The Revs family and to showcase my talents after The Revs game at Gillette Stadium." The Revs average between 12,000-15,000 fans per game in a friendly, safe, family environment. The fusion of boxing, music and soccer promises a memorable night for all fans in attendance, introducing many to a different sport, soccer or boxing.   O'Connor is a driving force in the rebirth of boxing in the Bay State, largely due to the influence of his relatively new manager, Kenny Casey, who is the founder and lead singer for the wildly popular Dropkick Murphys band. Casey's innovative, cross-marketing ideas and invaluable connections led to O'Connor fighting this past May at the House of Blues in Boston, in addition to the first pro boxing show at Gillette Stadium. "I'm honored to have a role, or play a position, to help bring boxing back in my home state," O'Connor noted. "I want to give back to the sport that has given me so much. I want fans all over New England to get excited again about boxing. "Kenny Casey has really helped promote me and my name. He has opened up a lot of doors for me, especially among Dropkick Murphys fans all over the world. He's more like my mentor than manager. He has steered me in the right direction to win in boxing, but under his wings I've also learned so much about doing business and just being a good person. I feel good about him coming onboard and I couldn't be happier with the way my career is now going." Casey is an avid boxing fan who is committed to guiding O'Connor's career to a world title shot, starting with an innovative campaign to build a strong fan-base in New England for his fighter. "Danny O'Connor is a true gentleman and a great representative for the sport of boxing," Casey remarked. "He's all about hard work, dedication and humility. It's been a lot of fun to do our part in terms of putting boxing back on the map and this event is another step in that direction. The first boxing card at Gillette Stadium is something we are proud to be involved in. The New England Revolution and their amazing fans have been some of Danny's strongest supporters, so this event is a match made in heaven." Also scheduled to fight on this special three-bout show is Boston Police Officer and former New England Golden Gloves champion, super middleweight Billy Traft (1-0), against pro-debuting MMA standout John Downey, of Hull (MA), in a four-round match. Another four-round fight will soon be announced. All fights and fighters are subject to change. Tickets, reasonably priced at $100.00 (on field ringside), $60.00 (reserved) and $40.00 (end zone), include attendance for this unique doubleheader (NE Revolution vs. Montreal Impact soccer game and boxing), go on sale tomorrow (Friday, July 27) at 10:00 a.m. / ET via Ticketmaster or by calling 1-877.GO-REVS. For more information about Danny O'Connor and Team O'Connor, visitwww.dannyoconnorboxing.com, follow him on Twitter atwww.twitter.com/DOC_Boxing, or visit him on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/DannyOConnor.